We are on the verge of renovating/expanding the kitchen including replacing appliances. Almost certain to install gas cooktop with separate electric double ovens. Initially, a countertop microwave was in the plans too. But then Cindy thought of saving that space by going with a double oven where one unit was a convection/micro combo. I am not a fan of that idea and it seems from other threads on here that many of you do not have a microwave and don't miss it.

But yesterday a sales rep recommended a convection/steam combo oven. Said the steam function can do pretty much anything a microwave can do short of heating liquids. I had never heard of this configuration. Have any of you? And do you have any opinions on the concept?

No experience here but I was curious so did some research. This site http://reviews.cnet.com/toasters-ovens/cuisinart-cso-300-combo/4505-17874_7-35826615.html has some good information with photos. Also, Williams-Sonoma and Amazon have lots of customer reviews. Too, most sales reps work on commission and certainly would not totally base my purchasing decision on anything they said. I speak from experience after listening to a sales pitch on a Maytag washer from a locally owned company here in Redding, that I trusted. Still have a pretty washing machine that I hated from day one. Taught me to do my own homework prior to going out to look. Our RV has an convection/regular oven/microwave combo, and can't say I am totally in love with it . It does the job for the way we eat while traveling. I would think the steam would make a very messy interior, and greasy.

Thanks for the link, Karen. That appears to be a countertop model, an upgraded toaster oven.... which may be a great alternative to a countertop microwave if we go that route. The unit recommended to us is a wall unit....combo convection and steam. We would pair it with a straight convection oven.

Hi MikeWe recently renovated a kitchen and put in one convection wall oven and a convection/microwavecombo. It gives us a reasonable degree of oven flexibility, the microwave convenience (if it is I am not a big user of the microwave oven) and saved us some space. I am happy with the combination but the drawbacks might be that at least with mine the combo doesn't have shelves so you are limited to one shelf which may not suit everyone.I have no experience with convection\steam combo but they are common in the restaurant trade.